Sole element with defined bending stiffnesses

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a sole element that is introducible into a shoe, comprising a flexible top layer for receiving a foot in a footbed, an insole body having locally different bending properties, which insole body extends parallel to a top layer surface and which insole body is joined to the top layer surface, the insole body is in the form of a one-piece body extending over a first subregion and over a second subregion, which first subregion of the insole body having a high bending stiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to the second subregion of the insole body having a low bending stiffness, wherein the second subregion is arranged in a manner at least partially enclosing the first subregion, wherein the first subregion is arranged in the region of the midfoot and/or in the heel region.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a national phase application of PCTApplication No. PCT/AT2019/060023, filed Jan. 23, 2019, entitled “SOLEELEMENT WITH DEFINED BENDING STIFFNESSES”, which claims the benefit ofGerman Patent Application No. DE20 2018 000 386.7, filed Jan. 25, 2018,each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a sole element insertable into a shoe,comprising a flexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a footbed, aninsole body having different bending properties in each partial area,which insole body extends parallel to a cover layer surface and whichinsole body is connected to the cover layer surface.

2. Description of the Related Art

WO2010085834A1 discloses a sole element comprising a cover layer, aninsole body attached to the cover layer and extending parallel to thecover layer, wherein adjusting elements are attachable to the insolebody in order to achieve adaptation of the sole element to the needs ofthe user through the adjusting element. WO2010085834A1, page 4, secondparagraph, mentions the formation of the insole body with differentmaterial properties, in particular bending properties, in order to meetthe supporting function and adaptability of the insole body. Neither thewording of the description of WO2010085834A1 nor the figures ofWO2010085834A1 provide a person of skill in the art with clearinstructions as to how the insole element comprising different materialproperties is to be formed. In particular, WO2010085834A1 fails todisclose the formation of a first partial area with a first bendingstiffness and of a second partial area with a second bending stiffness.

DE29810518 is cited as prior art in WO2010085834A1. DE29810518 disclosesa shoe insert to be assembled in a modular manner There is no indicationin DE29810518 as to the formation of partial areas of the shoe insertwith different bending stiffnesses by employing said modular system.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210 discloses a shoe sole with an adjusting elementin the heel area, which heel area is formed to be extending flat (seeFIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210) or with a convex arcuate form. Thereis no indication in U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,210 as to the formation ofdifferent bending stiffnesses.

DE1982317U discloses an insole comprising a truss pad. There is noindication in DE1982317U as to the insole having a higher bendingstiffness in the area of the truss pad. The insole (identified by thereference numeral 5 in FIG. 1 of DE1982317U) is formed out ofcompression leather. Compression leather is freely deformable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention disclosed below faces the object of adapting a shoe to theuser's needs by inserting the inventive sole element into the shoe.

For example, the invention disclosed below relates to an insole. Theinventive sole element may also be part of an inner shoe, which innershoe is inserted into an outer shoe.

Said object is achieved by a device and a method according to theclaims.

According to the invention, this is achieved by the insole body beingformed as an integral body extending over a first partial area and asecond partial area, which first partial area of the insole body with ahigh bending stiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to the secondpartial area of the insole body with a low bending stiffness, and whichsecond partial area is arranged at least partly enclosing the firstpartial area.

The first partial area having a high bending stiffness is arrangedwithin the insole body in the form of islands.

The deformation behavior of the inventive sole element is determined byarranging first partial areas with a high bending stiffness and secondpartial areas with a low bending stiffness in the insole body. Movementof the foot abutting the first partial areas is hereby prevented, whilemovement of the foot abutting the second partial area is enabled.

The formation of first partial areas with a high bending stiffness andsecond partial areas with a low bending stiffness, wherein the secondpartial areas at least partly enclose the first partial areas,corresponds to the structure of a foot's sole, making the inventiveinsole body very well adaptable to a person's needs.

The insole body extends below the footbed in partial areas. The insolebody supports the footbed and influences the distribution of forces onthe foot by its mechanical properties.

An enclosing arrangement of the second partial area around the firstpartial area is present when the second partial area is arranged as anarea extending around the first partial area. The second partial areaextends along the entire circumference of the first partial area.

An at least partial enclosure of the first partial area by the secondpartial area is present when areas of the first partial area arearranged not adjacent to a second partial area. This may be the case inparticular when the first partial area extends all the way to the edgeof the inventive insole, so that no arrangement of a second partial areais possible for reasons of geometry.

A difference in bending stiffness between the first partial area and thesecond partial area may be achieved by different thicknesses of theinsole body and/or by arranging different materials or materialcombinations in the partial areas. The latter may be done by arrangingrebar bodies within the insole body, for example. Formation of the coverlayer with different thicknesses will by no means create differentbending properties, as the cover layer is formed out of a very softmaterial having no bending property according to the common teaching.

The transition between the partial areas does by no means need to beabrupt or sharp, i.e., exhibiting a clear partial area limit. Thetransition between the partial areas may be designed so as to becontinuously increasing or decreasing.

The inventive sole element may be characterized in that the insole bodyhas an arcuate form in the first partial area, wherein the insole bodyhas an arcuate form with a bending stiffness increasing from an arc endto a vertex in the first partial area.

A bending stiffness variable over the arc length may be achieved by thechoice of material. For example, the insole body may have reinforcingelements in first partial areas with a higher bending stiffness. Thenumber or density of the reinforcing elements may vary over the arclength.

The insole body may have an arcuate form with an insole body thicknessvarying over the arc length in the first partial area, wherein theinsole body has an arcuate form with an insole body thickness increasingfrom an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.

Due to the folding properties, an arc formed in such a manner is easierto deform by a force acting towards the center of the arc than by aforce acting away from the center of the arc. The inventive sole elementmay be characterized in that the insole body, when used, is deformableonly towards the center point in the first partial area and therebyexclusively downwards, not upwards.

This is of particular importance for an insole, as the forces acting onan insole are by no means limited to forces acting top-down (mainly as aresult of the user's weight), but, for example, forces with a bottom-upacting direction may also occur as a result of the deformation of theshoe that takes place. A deformation caused hereby, such as a bottom-upwarp of an insole, for example, would be inconvenient for the user.

The first partial area of the insole body may have a V-shaped structurein a plane parallel to a cover layer surface. In this embodiment, thesecond partial area extends between the legs of the V, so that the firstpartial area partly encloses the second partial area.

The V-like structure of the first partial area is arrangeable on thesurface of the cover layer any number of times.

The insole body may be made of a thermoplastic. A person of skill in theart is capable of selecting a suitable thermoplastic material which ispreferably adaptable to the user's foot at about 120° C. Since the coverlayer is mostly made of an insulating material, the surface temperatureof the footbed is about 50° C. during the adaptation procedure.

The inventive sole element may comprise an adjusting element arrangeablein the first partial area, which adjusting element is attachable to afirst insole body surface of the insole body.

The adjusting element is a three-dimensional body which is positionedbelow the sole element for locally raising the sole element. To do so,the sole element is arranged at the insole body surface of the insolebody according to prior-art methods. The initially mentioned document,WO2010085834A1, lists possible forms of connecting an adjusting elementto the insole body.

The adjusting element may have different heights in order to achieve alocal slant of the footbed. The adjusting element may be formed as atruss pad.

Further, the adjusting element may be fastened to the insole bodysurface via planar adhesion means, such as adhesive surfaces orhook-and-loop surfaces, for example. A planar connection of theadjusting element to the insole body surface has the advantage that theincurring shear forces may be well absorbed. Further, the use ofreleasable connecting means such as hook-and-loop fasteners, forexample, allows quick and easy removal and optional replacement of theadjusting element.

The adjusting element may be attached to the insole body by anymechanical connecting means.

By arranging a planar adjusting element in the area of the first partialarea and by the planar connection of the adjusting element to the insolebody, the bending stiffness of the first partial area is furtherincreased. The adjusting element may have a shape adapted to the insolebody surface for planar connection to the insole body.

The adjusting element may be arranged in the concavely shaped firstpartial area. This prevents the sole element from being deformed upwardsin the area of the adjusting element, which would be very inconvenientfor the user.

In particular, the adjusting element may be arranged at the vertex ofthe concavely formed first partial area.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, it will be explained inmore detail based on the figures below.

In a highly simplified, schematic representation,

FIG. 1 shows a potential embodiment of the inventive insole without anadjusting element,

FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of the inventive insole depicted in FIG. 1with an adjusting element,

FIG. 3 shows a potential further embodiment of the inventive insolewithout an adjusting element, and

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the inventive insole depicted in FIG. 3with an adjusting element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It should be initially pointed out that like parts in the variouslydescribed embodiments are provided with like reference numerals and likecomponent designations, wherein the disclosures throughout thedescription may be applied mutatis mutandis to like parts with likereference numerals or like component designations. Also, indications ofpositions chosen in the description, e.g., top, bottom, side, etc., arereferred to the figure immediately described and depicted, and theseindications of positions would be applied mutatis mutandis to a newposition in case of a change of position.

The embodiments of the inventive sole element are depicted in thefigures. The figures do not include the foot, which is in contact withthe sole elements when the depicted embodiments of the sole elements areused.

FIG. 1 shows a potential embodiment of the inventive insole. FIG. 1includes a view of the inventive sole on the left as well as cutawayviews of sections A-A, B-B, and C-C included in said view. Thisarrangement of view and cutaway views is maintained throughout the FIGS.1 through 4.

The inventive sole element has a shape such that the sole element can beinserted into a shoe according to the prior art. In the view, FIG. 1 inparticular shows a sole with a ground shape known in the art, whichessentially follows the shape of a foot.

The inventive sole element comprises a cover layer 1 for receiving afoot in a footbed 2. The cover layer 1 is made of a textile, so that asurface convenient for the user can be formed.

An insole body 3 is arranged below the cover layer, by which insole body3 bending stiffnesses are assigned to the inventive sole elementaccording to the prior art. The insole body 3 situated below the coverlayer 1 and extending parallel to the cover layer 1 and connected to thecover layer 1 has varying bending stiffnesses in each area.

In particular, the inventive sole element comprises two first partialareas 6, 6′ in the integrally formed insole body 3, which first partialareas 6, 6′ are enclosed by a second partial area 7. The first partialareas 6, 6′ each have a higher bending stiffness than the adjacentsecond partial areas 7. By applying the common teaching, such higherbending stiffness of the first partial area may be achieved by a rebarbody not shown in FIG. 1 and/or by a higher thickness of the insole body3 in the area of the first partial area 6.

The bending stiffness and thereby the deformation behavior of theinventive sole element is advantageously determined by arranging firstpartial areas 6, 6′ adjacent to second partial areas 7.

In the embodiment of the inventive sole element shown in FIG. 1, thefirst partial areas 6, 6′ are clearly separated from the second partialareas by the partial area limits 8, 8′ included in FIG. 1. A person ofskill in the art will recognize that the thickness of the insole bodycan be changed between the first partial areas 6, 6′ and the secondpartial area in a continuous manner, i.e., without tiers.

The one first partial area 6, which is arranged close to the metatarsalarea 5, has a concave arcuate cross-sectional shape as seen in cutawayview C-C. The thickness of the insole body 3 is increasing in the areaof said first partial area 6 from the partial area limit 8 to the arcvertex 9.

It is achieved by this special shaping of the first partial area 6 thatsaid first partial area 6 is deformable in the case of a typicaldownward strain by a foot, as depicted by arrow 10 in FIG. 1.

The other first partial area 6′ is arranged in the heel area 4 of theinventive sole element. The other first partial area has a convex arcform, wherein the insole body has an equal thickness and thereby equalbending stiffness in the area of the other first partial area 6′.

The first partial area 6 comprises adhesion surfaces 13 for adheringadjusting elements not depicted in FIG. 1 (see, in particular, sectionA-A in FIG. 1). As depicted in the following figures and describedbelow, the sole element can be raised by said adjusting elements in thefirst partial area 6 in order to achieve better adaptation to the foot.The adhesion surface 13 has a subdivision 14, so that the user caneasily and accurately arrange adjusting elements, which preferably havethe shape of the partial surfaces marked by the subdivision 14.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the inventive sole element, whereinthe embodiment shown in FIG. 2 equals the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 anddescribed above with one added adjusting element 11. Using saidadjusting element 11, the inventive sole element is raised in an areaaround the adjusting element 11, wherein advantageous effects areachieved by the formation of the sole element within the first partialarea 6.

It can be observed with a sole element as described in WO2010085834A1that the sole element can deform upwards in the metatarsal area 5 whenused, in particular during walking, which can be inconvenient for auser. During walking, in particular when rolling the foot over the toearea, the sole element is bent in the metatarsal area 5 as relief takesplace in the metatarsal area 5 and in the heel area 4.

This can be enhanced by arranging an adjusting element 11 in themetatarsal area 5, as the sole element, and in particular the insolebody 3, are subjected to initial deformation by the arranged adjustingelement 11, which initial deformation favors the upward deformationinconvenient for the user.

The advantageous formation of the first partial area 6 described aboveprevents the deformation of the sole element in the first partial area6. In particular, the upward deformation inconvenient for the user isprevented by the formation of the first partial area in an arcuate formwith a bending stiffness increasing from the partial area limit 8 to thearc vertex.

The other first partial area 6′, in which other first partial area 6′ noupward deformation can be observed, has a consistent bending stiffness.

The insole body 3 of the sole element depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 ismade of a thermoplastic, so that the sole element can be adapted to theform of the user's foot by heating the thermoplastic by a simple method.

FIG. 3 shows another potential embodiment of the inventive sole element,which is suitable for inserting it into a shoe. To do so, the inventivesole element has a shape adapted to the sole or to the footbed of theshoe.

The sole element comprises a flexible cover layer 1 for receiving thefoot in a footbed 2. The inventive sole element is thereby in contactwith the foot through the footbed 2, wherein the position of the foot isinfluenced by the material properties of the sole element.

The sole element further comprises an insole body 3, which insole body 3extends parallel to, and has a planar connection to, the cover layersurface.

The insole body 3 is formed as an integral body extending over firstpartial areas 6, 6′ and over second partial areas 7, wherein the term“integral” in this case means that the partial areas are inseparablyconnected to each other.

A first partial area 6 of the insole body 3 with a high bendingstiffness is arranged in a plane adjacent to a second partial area 7 ofthe insole body 3 with a low bending stiffness. In the embodimentdepicted in FIG. 3, the higher bending stiffness is arranged byarranging a body in the insole body 3 in defining the first partial area6.

The second partial area 7 is arranged at least partly enclosing thefirst partial area 6, so that the first partial area 6 is arrangedwithin the second partial area 7 in an insular manner.

The first partial area 6 has a V-shaped structure in a plane in theinsole body 3. In particular, the first partial area 6 forms twoV-shaped structures which together give an X-shaped structure. The firstpartial area 6 is arranged within the second partial area 7 in aninsular manner with its X-shaped structure.

The X-shaped structure of the first partial area 6 influences theproperty of the sole element with regard to a torsion significantly. Atorsion of the sole element is possible only in the torsion areahighlighted in FIG. 3 due to the geometrical structure of the firstpartial area.

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment of the inventive sole element also depictedin FIG. 3, to which sole element an adjusting element 11 was added. Saidadjusting element 11 covers the adhesion surface 10 in said view. Theadhesion surface 10 is not depicted in the cutaways for reasons ofclarity.

The first partial area 6 is suitable for influencing a potentialdeformation of an adjusting element 11 arranged between the legs of theV shape at the insole body surface in such a manner that a downwarddeformation of the sole element in this partial area is prevented. Asexplained above, such upward movement of the sole element would be veryinconvenient for the user.

In the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the other first partialarea 6′ is executed the same way as in the embodiments shown in FIG. 1and FIG. 2 and therefore requires no further explanation.

The exemplary embodiments show potential variant embodiments, wherein itshould be noted at this point that the invention is not limited to thespecially depicted variant embodiments thereof, but rather that variouscombinations of individual variant embodiments among one another arepossible and that this potential variation is in the skill of a personskilled in the relevant art by the present invention based on theteaching on technical procedure.

The scope of protection is defined by the claims. However, thedescription and the drawings are to be used for interpretation of theclaims. Individual features or combinations of features from the variousexemplary embodiments shown and described may represent distinctinventive solutions as such. The object underlying those distinctinventive solutions can be learned from the description.

All statements on ranges of values in the present description areunderstood to mean that they include any and all partial rangestherefrom, e.g., indication of “1 to 10” is understood to mean that allpartial ranges starting from the bottom limit 1 and from the upper limit10 are included, i.e., all partial ranges start with a bottom limit of 1or more and end with an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g., 1 to 1.7, or3.2 to 8.1, or 5.5 to 10.

To conclude, it should be pointed out for the sake of clarity thatelements are partly depicted out of scale and/or larger and/or smallerfor a better understanding of the structure.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   -   1 cover layer    -   2 footbed    -   3 insole body    -   4 heel area    -   5 metatarsal area    -   6 first partial area    -   7 second partial area    -   8 partial area limits    -   9 arc vertex    -   10 adhesion surface    -   11 adjusting element    -   12 torsion area

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A sole element that can be introduced into a shoe aflexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a foot bed, an insert bodyhaving partially different bending properties, which insert body extendsparallel to a cover layer surface and which insert body is connected tothe cover layer surface, the insert body is designed as a one-piece bodyextending over a first portion and over a second portion, which firstpartial areas of the insert body having a high flexural strength isarranged in a plane adjacent to the second partial area of the insertbody with a low flexural strength, wherein the second sub-area isarranged at least partially enclosing the first sub-area, characterizedin that the first sub-area is arranged in the area of the midfoot and/orin the heel area.
 10. A sole element, insertable into a shoe,comprising: a flexible cover layer for receiving a foot in a footbed;and an insole body having different bending stiffnesses in each partialarea, which insole body extends parallel to a cover layer surface andwhich insole body is connected to the cover layer surface; wherein theinsole body is formed as an integral body extending over a first partialarea and over a second partial area, the first partial area of theinsole body having a high bending stiffness and the second partial areaof the insole body having a low bending stiffness, the first partialarea being arranged in an area adjacent to the second partial area; andwherein the second partial area is arranged at least partly enclosingthe first partial area.
 11. The sole element of claim 10, wherein theinsole body has an arcuate form in the first partial area, wherein theinsole body has an arcuate form with a bending stiffness increasing froman arc end to a vertex in the first partial area.
 12. The sole elementof claim 10, wherein: the insole body has an arcuate form with an insolebody thickness varying over the arc length in the first partial area;and the insole body has an arcuate form with an insole body thicknessincreasing from an arc end to a vertex in the first partial area. 13.The sole element of claim 10, wherein the first partial area of theinsole body has a V-shaped structure in a level parallel to a coverlayer surface.
 14. The sole element of claim 10, wherein the insole bodyis made of a thermoplastic.
 15. The sole element of claim 10, whereinthe sole element comprises an adjusting element in the first partialarea, which adjusting element is arrangeable at an insole body surfaceof the insole body.
 16. The sole element of claim 11, wherein the firstpartial area has a concave arcuate form and the adjusting element isarranged within the concavely shaped first partial area.
 17. The soleelement of claim 16, wherein the adjusting element is arranged at thevertex of the concavely formed first partial area.